John P. Mastando III
How Judge Mastando rules, drawn from 62 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Mastando
John P. Mastando III has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York since August 9, 2022. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Columbia University. Before joining the court, he practiced litigation at Weil, Gotshal & Manges and clerked for a federal district judge in Florida.
Judge Mastando's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Mastando, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
- Chambers' Rules ↗
- Transcript Restrictions & Redaction Guidelines ↗
- Form of Pretrial Scheduling Order ↗
- Form of Joint Pretrial Order ↗
Key rules
Contacting chambers
Request a hearing date by email to Mastando’s courtroom deputy before filing a motion that requires a hearing.
“All scheduling requests should be directed to the Courtroom Deputy by emailing [email protected].”
Filing
Provide two hard copies of every pleading and its exhibits to Chambers when filing and serving.
“Parties must provide two copies of every pleading, with exhibits, to Chambers at the time of filing and service.”
Motions
Limit moving and responsive briefs to 30 pages and reply briefs to 15 pages unless the court permits otherwise.
“Except as permitted by the Court, moving and responsive briefs shall be no more than 30 pages in length. Reply briefs shall be no more than 15 pages exclusive of the table of contents and table of authorities.”
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026).
- Procedures for the Filing, Signing, and Verification of Documents by Electronic Means ↗
- General Order 633: Procedures for the Filing, Service, and Management of Highly Sensitive Documents ↗
- Amended Guidelines for Fees and Disbursements for Professionals ↗
- Procedures for Monthly Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses of Professionals ↗
- Procedural Guidelines for Prepackaged Chapter 11 Cases ↗
- Procedures Governing Mediation of Matters and the Use of Early Neutral Evaluation and Mediation/Voluntary Arbitration in Bankruptcy Cases and Adversary Proceedings ↗
- General Order 634: Guidelines for Combined Disclosure Statement and Plan, Combined Hearings, and Conditional Approval ↗
How Judge Mastando decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
In In re Chen Foundation, Inc., he found that the debtor and its affiliates jointly operated an art-selling business, which weighed against treating the debtor as a passive real-estate owner.
“The Debtor and its Non-Debtor Affiliates are thus engaged in a joint commercial enterprise that operates at the direction of the same owners in pursuit of the same end: the sale of art.”
In In re Moche, he found that an 85% equity cushion adequately protected the bank against the requested stay relief.
“On this record, the existence of an 85% equity cushion alone provides the Bank with adequate protection.”
In Togut v. Lim, he vacated a default after finding a potentially meritorious defense and no significant prejudice to the trustee.
“Bakery has presented a potentially meritorious defense; and the Trustee acknowledges that vacatur would not cause significant prejudice.”
Procedural preferences
In Lee v. Ahne Law, P.C., he held that the defendants’ request for judgment as a matter of law after the verdict was procedurally barred because they had not preserved it before the verdict.
“their request for a post-verdict judgment matter of law is therefore procedurally barred.”
Cautions
In In re Albert Zihenni, he found bad faith in the Chapter 13 filing based on missed filings and plan payments, together with the timing of an impending foreclosure.
“The Court finds that the totality of the circumstances demonstrates the Debtor’s bad faith in filing the Chapter 13 petition, including the lack of filings made in the case despite multiple extensions, the failure to make plan payments of any kind, and the timing of the Chapter 13 petition relative to the then-impending foreclosure sale of the Shares.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED.”
“The Stay Relief Motion is MOOT in part and GRANTED in part: the Co-op is GRANTED prospective relief under 11 U.S.C. § 105(a) from relief from any automatic stay imposed by any Debtor’s future bankruptcy filings within 180 days of the entry of this order.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court DENIES the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court DENIES the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint.”
“Defendant’s Reconsideration Motion (Docket No. 244) is DENIED.”
“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss or Arbitrate (Docket No, 245) is DENIED”
After a bench trial, the court entered judgment for the defendant on a fraud-in-the-inducement claim; no party motion was adjudicated.
“Plaintiffs’ Motion found at [Doc. 319] and [Doc. 320] is DENIED accordingly.”
“The Trustee’s Motion. [Doc. 28] and [Doc. 30], is therefore DENIED, and Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 32] is GRANTED.”
“Accordingly, FCP’s Final Objection is OVERRULED, and the Third Amended Plan is CONFIRMED.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Stay Motion is DENIED. 6”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS the Debtors’ Motion to assume and assign the Showtime Contract and overrules the Showtime Objection.”
“In conclusion, for the reasons set forth above, the Motion [Dkt. No. 25] is GRANTED and this case is DISMISSED.”
“The Motion of Withdraw as Counsel (Dkt. No. 66) is GRANTED.”
“Woods is granted an attorney’s charging lien, pursuant to New York Judiciary Law § 475, in the amount of $58,459.90, against Wolfson’s claim, cause of action, and any recovery thereon.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
All six sampled matters remained pending in the public metadata. The Zihenni stream supplied four express outcomes.
Draft for Judge Mastando with the record in hand
Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Mastando, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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